In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
El Haqeeqa
An Electronic Periodical Magazine, Issue No. 8, Specialized in Monitoring and Documenting Violations by the Rapid Support Forces Rebel Militia in Sudan.
Introduction:
While political parties affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces rebel militia continue to raise the “No to War” slogan, the Sudanese people are demanding that their army decisively deal with this militia, refusing any negotiations that would bring it back to the Sudanese scene in any form. They emphasize that any negotiations will not restore the dignity of the Sudanese people as long as this militia persists in its barbaric crimes against innocent civilians in Khartoum and Darfur.
Since the outbreak of the war on April 15, the militia has committed the most heinous violations against civilians by targeting them through artillery shelling and airstrikes, raping hundreds of women and underage girls, displacing and sexually enslaving them, forcibly abducting hundreds of civilians, torturing and extorting them. The militia has also compelled large sectors of the population in the capital, Khartoum, and Darfur to displace, occupying their homes, preventing them from working, looting markets and properties, blocking roads, occupying and shelling hospitals, diplomatic missions, killing and abducting doctors, seizing public and vital facilities, and displacing civilians from wide areas of the Khartoum state, committing genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Massalit tribe in Darfur.
This militia continues its crimes against the Sudanese people as a tool for gaining advantages for themselves and their allies, including political parties and countries supporting them logistically under the cover of humanitarian work, without regard for the violations against them prohibited by international and humanitarian law. This is overwhelmingly rejected by the Sudanese people, who demand the crushing of the militia and the restoration of their violated rights and dignity.
As a primary gateway for monitoring and documenting the crimes of this militia, The Truth magazine, in its eighth issue, documents the barbaric attack on the residents of “Wad Ashana” in North Kordofan and “Kubum” in South Darfur. It also documents the militia’s involvement in human trafficking during the war, forced displacement of Aylafoun residents, the siege of civilians on Tuti Island, and their use as human shields in explicit violation of international and humanitarian law. It details the abduction of activists and humanitarian volunteers, the arrest of journalists, and the recent crimes targeting the healthcare sector, the rape of hundreds of women and girls, their enslavement, and sale in slave markets. It also exposes the militia’s violations against diplomatic missions, systematic destruction of facilities, arson of buildings and markets. The Truth also documents the dire situations of those returning from areas allied with the militia to expand the conflict in Sudan.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
Ministry of Justice: Human Traffickers Joining the Ranks of the Rebel Rapid Support Militia and Cases of Human Trafficking Among Compulsory Recruits
October 5, 2023
The National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking held a meeting under the chairmanship of Mr. Hwaida Ali Awad Al-Karim, Deputy Minister of Justice and the Committee’s Chairman. The meeting discussed several issues, most notably the impact of the war on illegal migration and human trafficking. The discussion revealed that human trafficking activities have not ceased during the war but have increased in intensity. Smuggling gangs have devised various methods to bypass the capital, Khartoum, during these difficult times.
The increase in the activities of these gangs is attributed to the weak supervision and enforcement due to the focus of the relevant authorities on the “Battle of Dignity” and its consequences.
It is worth mentioning that several human traffickers have joined the ranks of the Rapid Support Forces rebels. Cases of human trafficking have been observed involving young individuals who were forcibly recruited by the Rapid Support Forces, trained, and compelled to carry arms and participate in the ongoing battles between the Sudanese army and the rebel forces.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
Details of Barbaric Attacks on Residents of Wad Ashana in North Kordofan and Kubum in South Darfur by the Rebel Rapid Support Militia – Accounts of Escaping Individuals
According to Sky News Arabia in October 2023, individuals who escaped reported that more than 15,000 residents of Wad Ashana, located in North Kordofan state near the border with White Nile state, fled their homes after an attack by the Rapid Support Forces. The attack involved over 50 armed vehicles.
Tayeb Abdelbaqi, who fled with his family from the town to the nearby Adiab village, 10 kilometers to the north, recounted the horror they endured. He stated, “We lived through hours of terror; my neighbor and my cousin were killed due to random gunfire.” He added, “We lost our livestock and the equipment we used to draw drinking water.”
Ahmed, a shop owner in Wad Ashana, said, “The market was completely looted, and we left with only the clothes on our backs.”
The Darfur Lawyers Association, which monitors human rights, stated in a press release that fighting broke out in recent days in the Kubum area, about 100 kilometers west of Nyala. This resulted in the death of dozens of individuals.
The association reported that armed individuals from an Arab tribe, driving vehicles affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces, attacked the area and partially burned the Kubum market. They also raided the police station. This attack resulted in the killing of 24 people.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
A Women’s Network Confirms Receiving “10” Rape Cases in One Day – Survivor Accounts, and a Government Official Reveals “136” Cases through the Rapid Support in Khartoum and Darfur
Sudan Tribune: September 29, 2023
A government official has revealed an increase in the number of girls subjected to rape and sexual violence since the start of the conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces to approximately “136 cases.”
The Rapid Support Forces are accused of committing rape and sexual violence crimes associated with the conflict. The director of the Women’s Violence Prevention Unit in the government, Salimi Isaac, told Sudan Tribune, “The number of rape cases since the beginning of the war has increased to ‘136 cases,’ with ’68’ of them being recorded in Khartoum state, while the remaining cases are distributed across the states of South and West Darfur.”
She clarified that, according to survivors, all the new cases were committed by members of the Rapid Support Forces, except for two cases that were committed by armed looting groups.
On the other hand, the Women’s Scream Network, a regional group working to protect women’s rights in Africa, reported that one of the emergency rooms received “10” cases of sexual violence in a single day, committed by the Rapid Support Forces during October.
The network quoted a 21-year-old girl in Kalakala who said, “I am four months pregnant, and I can’t even count the number of times I have been raped.” It also mentioned that volunteers were subjected to rape the previous week in Khartoum, and it warned of the killing of a volunteer in her home by members of the Rapid Support Forces because she refused to let them enter her residential property.
The situation has worsened due to the closure and destruction of hospitals and medical facilities, some of which have been repurposed as military compounds, significantly limiting the survivors’ access to medical treatment and post-rape care.
It highlighted that survivors of sexual violence and women and girls in Greater Khartoum are left without support, pointing out that there are three medical facilities in Greater Khartoum where women and girls can obtain a set of preventive treatment tools following sexual assault. These facilities include the Turkish Hospital in South Khartoum, Elban Jdeed Hospital in Bahri, and the Nour Hospital in Omdurman. However, the Turkish Hospital in South Khartoum is not secure for survivors who have been assaulted by the Rapid Support Forces, as this hospital is completely under the control of the Rapid Support Forces.
On October 3, 2023, the Western Geref Committee announced the rape and murder of the member Seham Hassan Mustafa with two bullets to the head and chest inside her home while attempting to defend herself. Seham was engaged in providing psychological and material support to women affected by the war in the region.
Furthermore, the Emergency Room of Bahri reported on September 27, 2023, that the militia had committed a new heinous crime, adding to its record of atrocities that have continued since the outbreak of war in Khartoum. Members of the militia sexually assaulted one of the volunteers from the Bahri Emergency Room while she was volunteering.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
Forced Displacement and Indiscriminate Shelling – Heinous Crimes Committed Against Civilians in Extensive Areas of Khartoum and Nyala
October 5, 2023
The Resistance Committees in the Aylafoun area have reported that the Rapid Support Forces practiced the worst forms of murder, torture, terror, provocation, humiliation, crucifixion of bodies, arrested children, and invaded homes.
Citizens have stated that the attacks launched by the Rapid Support Forces in Alilfon targeted residential areas and peripheral neighborhoods, displacing residents from their homes, looting their properties. The militia’s aim is to kill innocent people and rob them of their belongings.
On the other hand, the Samrabab Emergency Committees announced in a statement on October 3, 2023, the death of more than “20” civilians and injuries to many others near the Haj Saad Mosque in Samrabab, north of Ahamda Square “13” due to falling shells fired by the Rapid Support Forces.
The militia also launched mortar shells on the First Revolution neighborhood, resulting in the deaths of entire families according to eyewitnesses.
On September 29, the Resistance Committees of Alilfon reported that the Rapid Support Forces shelled the area, killing more than “9” citizens, including children.
In Nyala, the Youth for Darfur organization (Mishad) announced on September 24, 2023, its condemnation of the repeated barbaric attacks carried out by rebel militias against innocent civilians in South Darfur State (Nyala).
They pointed out that these militias carried out their treacherous attacks with the aim of terrorizing civilians and looting their properties. They further explained that these militias indiscriminately opened fire on civilians in several areas in South Darfur (Nyala), resulting in the intentional and deliberate shelling that led to the deaths of many civilians, as well as leaving behind dozens of casualties and wounded.
The indiscriminate shelling in South Darfur State caused the displacement of thousands of families from neighborhoods and villages that were relatively secure due to repeated targeted attacks by these terrorist militias.
(Mishad) appealed strongly to international, legal, and humanitarian authorities to condemn these militias and classify them as terrorist groups that attack innocent civilians through killing, robbery, intimidation, and forced displacement.
Moreover, the Coordination Committees of Al-Fatihab Resistance strongly condemned this massacre and called on the armed forces, represented by the Engineers Corps, to decisively put an end to the atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces in El Fetihab.
They also called on the regional and international community to pressure these militias to stop these heinous violations against innocent civilians. Additionally, they demand the declaration of the Rapid Support Forces as a terrorist organization.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
Human Shields Used by Militias – Emergency Lawyers Continue to Besiege Tuti Island by Rapid Support Forces, Exacerbating the Humanitarian Situation
October 2, 2023
The Emergency Lawyers stated that the Rapid Support Forces have been besieging Tuti Island in Khartoum since the early days of the April 15th war. The forces have closed Tuti Bridge, the only land route connecting the island to the capital, restricting the movement of people, consumer goods, life-saving medicines, and forcing the use of river transport through boats, posing risks. This has led to the starvation of citizens and the death of some due to the lack of medical care, shortages of medicines, power outages for two months, and water shortages. This, in turn, has forced citizens to drink directly from wells and the Nile through barrels, leading to the spread of malaria, diarrhea, and the departure of health facilities from service. Additionally, there is a shortage of credit and difficulty in communication.
The siege imposed on the civilians on Tuti Island is considered a serious violation under international humanitarian law, as it deprives citizens of food and forcibly displaces them, shelling them, leading to the deaths and injuries of numerous victims. Emergency Lawyers hold the Rapid Support Forces fully responsible for the catastrophic humanitarian situation faced by the citizens of Tuti Island. They call on the international community to stand against these violations, which contradict international humanitarian law and the fundamental principles of the International Criminal Court, and to provide humanitarian aid through the International Committee of the Red Cross in Sudan because the situation on Tuti Island is tragic and extremely dangerous.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
Youth Entity of Darfur: Rapid Support Forces Besiege Displaced Persons and Abdel Rahim Dagalo Mobilizes Mercenaries to Overthrow Nyala City
October 9, 2023
The Youth Entity of Darfur stated that Zalingi, the capital of Central Darfur State, has witnessed the most violent attacks resembling ethnic cleansing that took place in West Darfur, Geneina. The Rapid Support Forces led by the criminal Ali Yaqoub targeted the Al-Hisahisa camp for displaced persons with heavy artillery and laid siege to it, separating it from Zalingi under the pretext of displacing camp residents. This led to the death of over “45” martyrs and the injury of “196” people since the outbreak of the war, with an increased rate of artillery shelling over the past two days. The camp is still being targeted with various types of artillery, resulting in the death of “6” people and the injury of “16” displaced persons. We strongly condemn this deliberate targeting and announce that the war criminal Ali Yaqoub, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces in Zalingi, is a war criminal, directing the displacement, destruction, and looting of neighborhoods adjacent to the headquarters of the “21st” Infantry Division (Al-Gharbi, Al-Isti’ad, and Al-Kinjoomia neighborhoods) and turning their homes into graves for the militias of the Rapid Support Forces. The war has reached its peak in South Darfur State after the war criminal Abdel Rahim Dagalo mobilized all mercenaries from Chad, Nigeria, Mali, Ethiopia, Central Africa, Libya to overthrow the command of the “16th” Infantry Division in Nyala. The attacks have continued for the fourth day, during which large parts of the city have been destroyed, including the market, and more than “75%” of the citizens have been displaced to safer areas outside Nyala.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
People of Darfur: The Plan to Control Darfur by the Rapid Support Forces Has Begun, Unraveling the Social Fabric of Darfur Residents
October 2023
The tribal battles are resurfacing in Darfur, starting from the Masalet battle and ending with the ethnic cleansing of the Masalet. Now, there is a battle between the Be-Halba and Salamat tribes, which has also reached its peak. Over “450” combat vehicles from Be-Halba and “4,000” armed fighters from Salamat gathered, resulting in a bloody battle in Sindol and Murnga, which left hundreds of casualties. The fight continues.
It is crucial for the youth of South Darfur State to confront this destructive attack and align with the armed forces to defeat the rebellion.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
“50” Abducted in the Kass Region, Government Official Confirms the Validity of Narratives of Slave Markets Selling Kidnapped Women and Girls
October 2023
Al-Quds Al-Arabi received testimonies from activists about slave markets in Sudan, particularly in Darfur, where women are abducted by Rapid Support Forces and then sold in these markets. Suleimi Is’haq, the director of the Violence against Women and Children Unit (a governmental institution), confirmed the existence of these markets.
Several weeks ago, local activists and human rights organizations spoke of girls kidnapped from Khartoum and areas in Darfur being sold in slave markets and ransomed by their families. However, local authorities issued a statement denying such crimes.
Suleimi confirmed that Rapid Support Forces and allied militias are abducting women, creating slave markets, and detention facilities in Darfur to sell women or release them in exchange for a ransom. She added, “Reports about the existence of these slave markets have been confirmed through eyewitnesses. Some girls have been released in exchange for a ransom.”
“There are families reluctant to speak on the issue, and there is imminent danger for anyone discussing it. So, we couldn’t access the real numbers and specific areas,” she mentioned.
She also pointed out that there are captive women who were kidnapped from Khartoum and Nyala in closed hotels and disused government buildings in Nyala, as well as areas on the road connecting El-Fashir and Nyala in Darfur.
She noted that what happened to women in Sudan bears a significant resemblance to what happened to the Yazidis by the Islamic State, where they were kidnapped and enslaved despite differences in the methods and ideological motives. According to her, recent statistics indicate that there have been “136” documented cases of sexual violence committed by the Rapid Support Forces. She emphasized that these numbers represent only “2%” of the real count. She added that there are many cases that have not been reported due to the circumstances of the war and other social factors.
The violence rate had decreased in August to the extent of having no reported cases, but it came back in September, with home invasions, making the situation even worse.
“And it was previously revealed by the Darfur Lawyers Association about the kidnapping of women by Arab militia members, where they demanded their release in exchange for a ransom.
It pointed out that it received information about allegations of slave markets in El Fasher, but it couldn’t prove that.
‘Al-Quds Al-Arabi’ listened to testimonies about the issue from two local human rights activists in Darfur.
One of them said: ‘After the second month of the outbreak of the war and after targeting areas in North Darfur such as Kutum and Tawila, as well as the targeting that reached the city of Nyala, the (Support) forces and the Janjaweed abducted a number of girls and took them in unknown directions, including my friend and university colleague and another girl. The first one was sold for 700,000 Sudanese pounds, and the second for one million Sudanese pounds, and the buyer took them to the Ardema area, near Geneina, and there they met an acquaintance who paid the amounts and released the two girls, and they are now in an area in the Serba locality in West Darfur.’
According to the human rights activist, who preferred to withhold his name, the detainees and the markets where the kidnapped girls are found are located in West and North Darfur and areas in the direction of Jebel Si and the Da’wa region.
A second activist, from the Kas locality in South Darfur State, also preferred to withhold his name for security reasons, reported that the slave markets are found in El Furqan.
He explained that the sales are conducted between members of the ‘Rapid Support’ and the allied militias, adding that weapons are also sold in these markets.
According to him: ‘A girl was released for 600,000 pounds by a fellow student from the Kababiyah area in North Darfur State after being kidnapped from Khartoum.’
The estimated number of kidnapped girls around Kas reaches more than 50, and the prices for sale and ransom range up to two million pounds. He also pointed out that there is no civil authority in Kas after the fall of the army’s protectorate at the hands of the ‘Rapid Support.’
‘Al-Quds Al-Arabi’ tried to contact the ‘Rapid Support’ forces to verify these accusations but received no response.
It is worth noting that in a previous statement, they denied any connection to the crimes of women’s abduction and rape, considering them allegations within the framework of ‘counter campaigns’ led by the remnants of the ‘former regime’ against them.
The local authorities at the level of the Northern Darfur Governor, Nimr Mohammed Abdul Rahman, also did not respond to ‘Al-Quds Al-Arabi’s inquiries. However, he previously issued a statement in which he stated: ‘What has been reported in some media about the existence of female slave markets in the localities of El Fasher, Milleet, and Al Malha is entirely untrue.’
It is worth mentioning that the list of missing and forcibly disappeared individuals after the outbreak of the war includes dozens of girls and women whose fate is still unknown.”
“In a related context, the “Missing” initiative (a voluntary initiative working to locate missing persons of the revolution and war) announced that the special forces of the Sudanese army have managed to free a group of women and girls who were missing, from the grip of the Rapid Support Forces in the Al-Halfaia suburb.
According to the missing women, the Rapid Support Forces were forcing them to treat the wounded and prepare meals. The initiative also pointed out that “some women who were found after being kidnapped have stated that they were forcibly compelled by the Rapid Support Forces, using violence and intimidation, to perform various tasks, including cooking and washing the soldiers’ clothes under extremely unhealthy and insecure conditions.”
According to journalist Hadi Abdullah from Darfur, “The phenomenon of women and girls being kidnapped is widespread in the Darfur region, where some fugitive members of the Rapid Support have transported dozens of girls from Khartoum to Darfur. Many families have reported the kidnapping of their daughters, and there are also unconfirmed reports that the Rapid Support has established slave markets in El Fasher, North, and West Darfur.”
He mentioned that this comes at a time when judicial and security institutions have ceased to function due to the war, preventing the registration of criminal complaints against the Rapid Support Forces, which continue to commit shocking violations against civilians.
He emphasized that “the continued heinous practices contrary to all values, customs, and laws by the Rapid Support and the militias allied with it will create a wide social rift within Sudanese society,” stressing the need to “intensify local and international efforts to stop these practices and punish their perpetrators.”
He further noted that “civilians continue to suffer due to the authorities’ failure to provide security and their inability to achieve justice and accountability for crimes and other violations.”
He added, “The Rapid Support Forces and the allied militias continue to expand the circle of gender-based violence, sexual violence, forced displacement, and identity-based killings.”
The recent United Nations meetings have witnessed numerous condemnations of the Rapid Support Forces for committing sexual violence against women during the ongoing war in Sudan since mid-April.
In this regard, Salami Is’haq, the director of the Women and Child Violence Unit, stated, “There have been wide condemnations, but there is no concrete action.” She also added, “Yes, sanctions were imposed against (the deputy commander of the Rapid Support) Abdel Rahim Daglo and his brother, but there is no further action.”
She explained that “discussions are ongoing with international missions regarding the needs and future of women to heal the wounds caused by sexual violence.”
She mentioned that “sexual violence in the Sudan war is systematic and of the most heinous kind,” while also noting that “there are real risks facing service providers for victims, whether they are doctors or suspected of collaborating with organizations or volunteers or activists, as they are investigated and arrested by the Rapid Support Forces.”
She concluded, “I fear speaking about some cases, as it poses a great risk to service providers. Any news of rapes or sexual violence now exposes them to arrest and accountability by Khartoum and Nyala in South Darfur.”
“El Haqeeqa Documents:
As part of its series of heinous violations, the rebel Rapid Support Forces militia is abducting journalists and activists in the humanitarian field – trade unions and civil society organizations are calling on the international community to impose sanctions on them.
September 26, 2023
A force affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces militia abducted the correspondent of Al-Ghad channel, journalist Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Hajj, from his home in the eastern part of Khartoum and took him to an unknown location. The journalist’s arrest came shortly after his live appearance on the channel, presenting a brief about the field developments in the capital, Khartoum.
A statement issued by the Sudanese Journalists Network stated that “a force affiliated with the Rapid Support broke into the home of journalist Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Hajj in the Grif area, west, and several houses in the neighborhood, and forcibly took him to an unknown location.”
The network condemned this course of action and described it as vile and repeated by the Rapid Support Forces, which have a habit of forcibly disappearing journalists and citizens, according to the statement.
The statement by the Sudanese Journalists Network also explained that the force that took the correspondent of “Al-Ghad” had also resorted to beating and arresting several residents of the area where Mohammed lived and looted their homes, which spread panic among the area’s residents.
The Sudanese Journalists Union also said in a statement that the Rapid Support Forces arrested journalist Abdelrahman Warab and took him to an unknown location. His family, which issued a distress call, stated that Warab has been detained for more than two months, and they have not been able to determine his place of detention.
The Sudanese Journalists Union strongly condemned the arrests of journalists and expressed concerns about the safety of colleague Warab, given the prolonged period of his detention, demanding his immediate release.
On September 28, 2023, the Resistance Committees of Abu Rof announced that they have lost contact with the family of Fatima Al-Hajj and two of her sons: Omar Mohammed Al-Mustafa (Omar Kakao) and Ramah Mohammed Al-Mustafa, who were last known to be in the Abu Rof neighborhood.
Civil society organizations hold the Rapid Support Forces fully responsible for the fate of Abdelali Abdelkader Hassan, an expert in voluntary and humanitarian work, working in the field of childhood and persons with special needs. Abdelali has been actively involved in the activities of the Yara Organization for Children with Special Needs at numerous regional and international platforms, including conferences held in the United States, the European Union, and the African Union.
Abdelali has resided with his family in the Fatihaab area since the outbreak of the war and has not left it. Communication with him has been lost since September 22nd, and his family has learned that he has been detained by the Rapid Support Forces.
As individuals interested in the work of charitable and voluntary organizations and humanitarian work, we hold the Rapid Support Forces fully responsible for any harm to him, and his release will be escalated to all international and regional platforms that are familiar with his activities and contributions.
Meanwhile, activists and social media users express anger at the abduction by the Rapid Support Forces of the founder of the Children’s Cancer Rest Center, Ahmed Abbas, who is known for his voluntary work. A force from the Rapid Support Forces reportedly stormed Ahmed Abbas’ house in the Arkoyt suburb and took him to an unknown location.
Armed soldiers who arrested him stated to the residents that Ahmed was providing coordinates of the forces to the army with the intention to strike them, after noticing his frequent movement within the Arkoyt area, which was only due to his charitable activities. Ahmed Abbas was known for preparing daily meals with funds from the charity and taking care of distributing them using a “Dardaqa” means of transportation, along with his son.
The humanitarian activist Ahmed Abbas, the founder of the initiative of the Children’s Cancer Rest Center, has a heart condition and resides in Arkoyt with his children and elderly mother.
Sudanese media outlets reported that the Rapid Support Forces ran over the journalist Halima Idris Salem with a Tacher vehicle in Omdurman while she was covering for Sudan Today channel and presenting news for Sharyan channel and Ala Modak Radio.”
“El Haqeeqa Documents:
El-Hilo and the Rapid Support Militia Extend the Circle of Conflict – Returnees from the Areas of the People’s Movement Share Tragic Stories:
Kadugli, “Maraya Press,” October 5, 2023
Five young men and children from the region of ‘Am Shar’an,’ approximately 30 kilometers south of Kadugli, arrived at the headquarters of the Fourteenth Infantry Division in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan State. This is one of the areas that were betrayed by the forces of the People’s Movement in the North-Splinter faction in their ongoing war, which they ignited and captured. The number has now reached fifty people, with daily returns of individuals and families. The escapees narrated tragic stories about the humanitarian conditions and the suffering of the citizens with the People’s Movement forces, describing it as difficult due to the lack of food and medicine, the spread of diseases, and the harsh autumn conditions. Citizens have been unable to engage in farming this season. The returnees stated that the People’s Movement forces control the movement of citizens and prevent them from returning to Kadugli. If someone is discovered trying to leave, they are beaten and expelled to the People’s Movement’s headquarters in the region so as not to affect others. They mentioned that they decided to return to Kadugli and did so on the first Sunday of the current month. Taking advantage of the weak control on this day, they left around 8:00 in the evening and continued walking throughout the night in the midst of forests and thick grass without worrying about snakes and predators. They only wanted to save themselves from the tragedies they had experienced. They continued like this until 3:00 in the morning, where they rested for only one hour on the outskirts of one of the wells. They moved again at 4:00 in the morning, hurrying until they reached ‘Gerdod Duloka’ at 1:00 in the afternoon. This is an external station for the armed forces. They surrendered themselves to the army, and they were welcomed and provided with food and water. They were treated kindly, and later, they were handed over to the leadership of the division, from whom they experienced no ill treatment. They worked to coordinate with civil administrations to deliver them to their families. The returnees also indicated that the People’s Movement forces forcibly share simple food with the families. Additionally, they conscript young men and force them into various battles without sufficient training. In case of evasion, they take a cow or goat from the family’s owner. The returnees expressed their desire to return and their rejection of the ongoing war due to its severe impact on the citizens, including the inability to farm this year, the worsening security, health, and humanitarian conditions. However, this desire is met with the restrictions imposed by the People’s Movement forces on the citizens, which may include beating and expulsion to their leadership. They called on citizens to find ways to escape the People’s Movement’s grip and head toward Kadugli for more security and stability.”
El Haqeeqa Documents:
The Federal Ministry of Health reports that the militia has taken control of the main medical supplies center as part of its recent violations against the healthcare sector, resulting in losses estimated at 500 million dollars.
September 25, 2023
Dr. Haitham Mohammed, the Federal Minister of Health, stated that the Rapid Support Forces militia has seized the main medical supplies center, resulting in the loss of our primary stock of medicines and medical equipment valued at 500 million dollars. He commended the White Army’s support for the Sudanese Armed Forces in their war against the militia.
On October 9, lawyers for Dignity and Justice condemned the barbaric acts of the militia against lives, hospitals, and medical institutions after their criminal attack on Al-Naw Hospital in Omdurman. They labeled it a war crime and a complete violation of international humanitarian law in armed conflicts. They hold the Rapid Support Forces, both leaders and members, criminally responsible and call on the international community to condemn these blatant human rights violations against civilians.
On October 6, the Jebel Awliya Sector Emergency Room stated that Jebel Awliya Hospital was subjected to indiscriminate shelling by the militia, causing damage to the kidney unit and laboratory, resulting in the deaths of two individuals inside the hospital due to the shelling. The hospital was closed, and kidney patients were transferred to the military hospital. Some vendors were also affected by the shelling. The room emphasized that targeting healthcare facilities threatens the health and lives of citizens and constitutes a clear breach of international conventions and laws.
On October 3, 2023, according to Al-Arabiya channel, the Samarab Neighborhood Committees reported that the Rapid Support Forces launched a rocket at a health center, resulting in the deaths of over 20 people and injuries to others. They affirmed that what the Rapid Support Forces had done constitutes a war crime and a massacre against the people of Samarab.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
In a naive representation, the terrorist Rapid Support Forces executed (3) prisoners of the armed forces on October 5, 2023, as part of a systematic theatrical operation aimed at falsely accusing the armed forces of killing their prisoners to gain international sympathy and support.
A video circulated on social media showed members of the Rapid Support Forces dressed in military uniforms, pretending that prisoners of the armed forces were their own Rapid Support Forces captives. They fired upon and executed them. Social media users also discussed rumors of rebel Issam Fadel’s plan to stage an event to frame the armed forces for the crimes and violations committed by the terrorist Rapid Support Forces, using military uniforms similar to those of the Sudanese army and painting some of their vehicles with the same paint as the armed forces to carry out this plan.
On October 9, the Sudanese Oil Sector Workers’ Association condemned the continued attacks by the Rapid Support Forces, this time targeting Pumping Station 4, belonging to the Babco company in the Alilfon region. This station handles the export of South Sudan’s oil through the Bashair 2 port. The Rapid Support Forces forcibly entered the station, halted its operations, forced the workers to evacuate, and arrested two of them. Later, they released one of the workers after receiving a financial ransom, while the other worker remains detained inside the station.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
The terrorist Rapid Support Forces militia attacked the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, resulting in the burning of the building and the destruction of its contents, according to the Sudanese army. They called on regional organizations to include it in their long list of criminal violations.
Local media reported that on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, the militia looted cars, money, and fuel from local markets in Am Doreur, North Kordofan, threatening some traders with death after physically assaulting them. In a related context, the rebel militia looted Afkarin Market in North Kordofan at gunpoint and physically assaulted civilians with the butts and ammunition of their rifles. They also looted three local vehicles en route to the Sharekila Market.
El Haqeeqa Documents:
A heinous attack on the premises of the Ethiopian Embassy Mission in Khartoum occurred on October 3, 2023. The Sudanese Armed Forces, in a statement, condemned this brutal assault carried out by the dissolved rebel Rapid Support Forces militia on the embassy mission. Following the attack, the militia released a pathetic statement in an attempt to attribute its vile crime to the armed forces. The Sudanese Armed Forces reaffirmed their commitment, since the beginning of the war, to respecting international humanitarian law and safeguarding protected entities, including diplomatic missions. This is in stark contrast to the militia, which targeted all diplomatic premises in Khartoum and looted their properties.
- Which state supports the militia, and from where do the weapons that grossly violated the rights and dignity of the Sudanese people originate?
Investigations:
New York Times: The United Arab Emirates feeds the flames of conflict in Sudan, and the United Nations Refugee Agency calls for an investigation into arms shipments. A report by Military Africa confirms the use of Israeli-made weapons by the Rapid Support Forces against the Sudanese army.
According to the New York Times, the United Arab Emirates, under the guise of refugee relief, is orchestrating a sophisticated covert operation to support one of the parties in the escalating war in Sudan. They are providing powerful weapons, drones, treating injured fighters, and airlifting the most critical cases to one of their military hospitals, as stated by dozens of current and former officials from the United States, Europe, and several African countries.
The newspaper reports that the operation is centered at an airport and hospital in a remote town across the Sudanese border in Chad. UAE cargo planes have landed there almost daily since June, according to satellite images and officials who have insisted on anonymity while sharing this sensitive intelligence.
The New York Times asserts that what is happening is the latest example of how the UAE, with its vast wealth and advanced weaponry, positions itself as a key player and kingmaker in Africa at times. In Sudan, the evidence suggests that the UAE supports the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful quasi-military group linked to the Russian Wagner mercenaries and accused of committing atrocities. The regular armed forces in the country have been fighting in a conflict that has left 5,000 civilian casualties and displaced over four million people since April.
According to the New York Times, despite this reliable information, the Emiratis insist that their operation on the Sudanese border is purely humanitarian, especially since the arrival of planes in Um Jaras, Chad, the Emirati news agency published images of the shining field hospital. They claim that more than 6,000 patients have been treated there since July.
Video clips show Emirati officials dropping aid packages outside thatched huts in nearby villages, donating goats, and renovating schools. They even organized a camel race.
The Emiratis argue that their motivation is to assist Sudanese refugees, many of whom have fled brutal ethnic violence in the Darfur region. However, since Sudan slid into war, only 250 refugees have been registered in Am Jars, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, while the actual refugees are hundreds of miles south, a two-day journey on desert and dirt roads, where 420,000 Sudanese have recently arrived in sprawling camps under dire conditions.
The newspaper argues that the UAE is, in reality, using the aid mission to conceal its military support for the leader of the Rapid Support Forces, Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemeti, who was previously a Darfur militia leader known for his cruelty.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been increasingly active in Africa, striking multibillion-dollar business deals for mining development in the Democratic Republic of Congo, acquiring carbon credits in Liberia, and gaining control over ports in Tanzania, Somalia, and Sudan. These actions have raised concerns about the UAE’s influence on the continent.
Emirati officials have consistently supported and backed certain key individuals over the long term, such as Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemeti. Hemeti has played a pivotal role in Sudan, where the UAE’s support has been marked by complex actions, including covert arms shipments to Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya, violation of the international arms embargo.
In Ethiopia, the UAE provided armed drones to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during a critical moment in the Tigray conflict in 2021, effectively altering the course of the war. In Sudan, the UAE officially supports peace initiatives through its involvement in diplomatic efforts like the Quartet, which includes the United States, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia. However, at the same time, Emirati weapons are fueling conflicts in Sudan.
Recently, there have been reports that fighters loyal to Hemeti used anti-tank missiles, supplied by the UAE, in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. In response to such allegations, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has previously denied supporting any party in the Sudanese conflict.
The covert operations in Sudan have been a source of concern for U.S. officials, who are already frustrated with the UAE’s growing ties with Russia and China. Despite hosting 5,000 U.S. troops in the UAE, the country’s leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, finds himself in the role of another foreign patron of General Hemeti and Russian Wagner mercenaries.
A confidential United Nations report that was made available to The Times revealed how Hemeti acquired ground-to-air missiles from bases in the neighboring Central African Republic in April and May. UN investigators stated that these missiles were used to shoot down Sudanese fighter jets.
These developments reflect the UAE’s strategic ambitions in the region and its willingness to use a range of tools, including military support, to advance its interests. The UAE’s ability to balance diplomatic efforts and covert military actions is a growing concern in international relations.
In response to a question about the UAE’s activities in Um Jaras, a spokesperson for the National Security Council stated that the United States has expressed its concerns to all external parties suspected of supporting the conflicting parties in Sudan, including the United Arab Emirates.
Sudanese activists consider the UAE’s intervention a heinous duplicity – a country that talks about peace while fueling the war and claims to aid Sudanese refugees while supporting the very fighters they were forced to flee from.
Hossam Mahjoub, co-founder of the independent Sudanese media company ‘Sudan Bokra,’ said, “This makes me angry and frustrated. We’ve seen this before in countries like Libya and Yemen: the UAE says it wants peace and stability, while at the same time does everything in its power to work against it.”
The operation in Um Jaras began in earnest in mid-June, approximately two months after the war in Sudan started.
In that month, Chadian President Idriss Déby met with the UAE leader Sheikh Mohammed at one of his palaces in Abu Dhabi. Déby left with a $1.5 billion loan (considering Chad’s annual budget is $1.8 billion) and promises of military vehicles that were delivered in August.
Days later, UAE cargo planes began flowing into Um Jaras, a small oasis with few inhabitants but an unusually long airstrip. The Times documented dozens of UAE flights to Um Jaras since May.
On July 4th, following an abrupt increase in UAE flights to Um Jaras, where the UAE declared the opening of a 50-bed hospital on the edge of the runway. Further news releases highlighted the distribution of UAE aid. One press release stated, “This is a new achievement in the bright record of the United Arab Emirates’ charity.”
However, there were also protests, and a video circulated on social media showed local tribal men protesting against the new UAE base. One of them proclaimed, “This is not a civilian hospital,” adding that the Emiratis were providing logistics services and weapons to the Rapid Support Forces. They even burned the UAE flag.
Those allegations are partly justified, as African officials stated that in one part of the hospital, Emirati medics were treating wounded Rapid Support Forces fighters. Some were later flown to Abu Dhabi for treatment at the military Zayed Hospital.
At the same time, satellite images and flight tracking data show that Um Jaras Airport was expanding to become a continuously active military-style airport, exceeding the needs of the small hospital. Temporary aircraft hangars, an aircraft apron, hospital compound expansion, and fuel depot construction were noted.
“2”
The UNHCR has called for an investigation into UAE arms shipments. The organization expressed shock at a New York Times report indicating that the UAE systematically sends arms to the Rapid Support Forces militia involved in ethnic cleansing operations in Darfur under the guise of humanitarian work. The UAE’s alliance with the perpetrators of genocide is deeply concerning. This necessitates an immediate investigation by the UN team of experts on Sudan, including reviewing the roles of the Chadian and Ugandan governments in facilitating arms transfers. The UAE must cease immediately supplying the Rapid Support Forces with weapons, and the UAE Red Crescent should review its operations in eastern Chad to ensure they are not used as a cover for illegal arms shipments.
“3”
Military Africa has released a report on the use of Israeli-made “LAR-160” missiles by the Rapid Support Forces against the Sudanese army. The report states that “LAR-160” is a multi-launch rocket system with a caliber of 160mm, capable of launching up to 26 rockets at once, with a range of 45 kilometers. These rockets can be used against infantry, armored vehicles, and artillery. Yousif Ezzat, a Rapid Support Forces advisor, stated in late April to an Israeli news channel that what Khartoum is facing is similar to what Israel faces from terrorist groups.
